Secretary
/Directed by:
Written by:
Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal,
What would you do for the one you love? There’s always a wide variety of answers to this question, some more extreme than others. However, would you starve yourself? Especially for someone who is into sadomasochism? Probably not, but then you’re not Lee Holloway. See, Lee is into that sort of thing, having been sent to a mental institution for purposefully inflicting pain to her body. Not my idea of a good night, but what do I know? While Secretary could have easily slid into a grotesque display of torture porn, this film actually turns out to be a sweet romantic comedy - though a dark comedy.
Secretary follows all the tropes of a romantic comedy, all the ups and downs of a relationship leading up to a happy ending. Maggie Gyllenhaal stars as Lee Holloway and brings a very sweet tenderness to the role. Where others could have easily played it as a stereotype, Gyllenhaal plays Lee as a human being, who just happens to be into unique sexual activities. After leaving the mental institution, Lee is hired at the law office of Mr. Grey (played by a very creepy James Spader). Once Mr. Grey discovers that Lee is a masochist, he quickly begins to act upon his own painful instincts. Every time that she makes a mistake, Mr. Grey gets out the paddle and gives her a good old spanking. Not exactly what I want my boss to do when I make a mistake, but Lee is more than happy to oblige, reaching the point where she makes mistakes on purpose.
What makes Secretary stand out is how it uses a taboo subject to bring about a positive change in it’s lead character. Lee goes through quite a character ark (for the better) and her pain inflicting boss Mr. Grey is the catalyst for the change. By the end of the film, Lee is a much stronger and happier woman. While some other films could have made us judge Lee in a negative light for her decisions, Secretary (and the superb performance by Gyllenhaal) shows us that when two people are in love, who are we to judge?